Slaughterhouse V -4Historical Representation

as Discourse

The Topics Covered 1. Metafiction and Novelistic Frame 2. War (cruel & irrational; where myth and heroism

are impossible) v.s. the Postmodern World (experience mediated by popular culture)

3. Vonnegut’s, Billy Pilgrim’s and Roland Weary’s Responses to the War

4. Tralfamodore’s alternative reality

Starting Questions about Chaps 7-10 The Dresden Experience: of beauty and syrup? What roles do the following “historical figures” play?

Women such as Valencia and Montana Wildhack Authors such as Howard W. Campbell Jr.,

Kilgore Trout (introduced by Eliot Rosewater), Rumford

Post-bombing experience and post-plane crash experience

Outline

1. Plot

2. Parodies of authorial figure

3. Discursive Formation: radio program and book store

4. Two Alternative Perspectives beside the Dark Comic one.

Trauma fragmentation ( reconstruction)

Plot and Time 1022 – Young Billy in Ilium 1944 – Luxemburg forest/unstuck in

time English compound [hospital] Dresden

1945-47 – Studies Optometry [hospital] 1957 --set up in business (optometry) 1964 – V meet O’Hare 1967 – Lion Club meeting; kidnapped by

Tralfamadorians 1967 – V go back to Dresden 1968 – airplane crash 1968 – V the novel SH-V 1976 (future)– US balkanized, BP killed

Tralfamadore

Plot and Time VII--1968 plane--on the plane--'44 in Luxemburg forest--

plane--unconscious--slaughterhouse--work--spooning the syrup 160-161

VIII --Campbell--Trout--the song about old gangs--a big secret in him 172-73--the bombing and the four guards--Montana –Rumfold--travel back to 1958--back to 16 yr old

IX--Valencia died--in the hospital with Rumfoord--Billy cries over the two horses' poor condition 197 – Billy in radio station and bookstore, with Montana

X – Vonnegut about Billy, about going back to Dresden, “I was there.” Ending with Billy and Maori

Self-Reconstructions through Author Surrogates: Kilgore Trout from Ilium 111 —The Gospel from Outer Space: 108-109 —New

Gospel: don’t kill people with no connections Fourth Dimension 104 (Money Tree 167 Gutless wonder 168-(halitosis 口臭 , drop gasoline

bombs) KT with his fans: happy and loud 170; view about fiction

171 (“It happened.”) about time machine 202 Jesus dead Big Board—about kidnap and investment 201)

Self-Reconstructions through Author Surrogates: Kilgore Trout with critical messages; Criticize Christianity -- about time machine 202 Jesus

dead Human Oppression--The Gospel from Outer Space: 108-

109 Satirize human greed -- Money Tree 167 Emphasis on appearance -- Gutless wonder Human Limitation -- Fourth Dimension Self-Parody KT with his fans: happy and loud 170; view about fiction

171 (“It happened.”) Big Board—about kidnap and investment 201 No Positive or Constructive Messages

Author”s” (2) Author Functions

Be-littled, but human Vonnegut: “I was there.” 125; 148 Eliot Rosewater 102 (like Derby)

Ridiculed: Official Historian -- Rumford183-191; 198 – Literary critics and the death of fiction: 205

author functions in discursive apparatuses such as bookstore and radio

Two Alternative Views(1): Tralfamadorian --Review Why me? 77 T’s novel 88 The moment simply is. We are all bugs in amber.

27; 86 five sexes on T, seven on earth 114 human beings as millepedes 87; their view of our

concept of time 115 War & Peace; "We spend eternity looking at the

peaceful moment" 116-17 "Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurts" 122 interest in Darwin 210

Two Alternative Views(1): Tralfamadorian

in their zoo 111--his life in the zoo, think nothing of the Gay Nineties couple on the wall; happy with his body 113

Montana Wildhack 132 Would you like to live in such a world? Do you agree with their world views?

Billy does. p. 190

Tralfamadorian Views—Possible Interpretations1. Fatalist; 2. Denies progressive views of history; arbitrary

causal connections.3. Aesthetic: “an image of life that is beautiful and

surprising and deep.”4. Escapist & Non-Human: just look at the good

moments;5. Cosmic or Macrocosmic: we are just a bug frozen

in amber.66 discourse and discursive formation

Repetitions – Obsession or Humanist Concern 「模仿言語症」 (echolalia) Echolalia?192 “So it goes.” 27 candle and soap made from

dead Jews 96; water 101; Billy's own death 143 I was there. Billy//Vonnegut. Edgar Derby p. 83; “poor old” Ask about Wild Bob 188; 212 Songs—Yon Yonson to Cotton workers p. 176

Patterns created but not fixed.

Two Alternative Views(2): Humanist

Dreams/fantasies of Adam and Eve, giraffes (99)

Ending 161 births the innkeeper says in German, “Good night,

Americans. Sleep well.” 181 the horse 197, the bird; syrup,